1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of landscaping apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of turf graders are used in landscaping. One such grader is shown in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,448,814; 3,586,111; and 3,826,209. The grader disclosed in these patents is pulled or pushed across ground with the grader having a series of plows for scarifying the ground followed by a plurality of rake teeth or tines that pick up and remove trash and debris from the plowed ground. Scraper blades extend across the width of the grader to level the plowed dirt with the blades then being followed by a heavy roller rotatably mounted to the grader.
Several improvements in the prior grader are disclosed herein. Prior graders use single tines that extend downwardly from a spring mount mounted to the grader frame. The tines spring backward as they engage the ground and debris and then forward lifting the debris apart from the ground. Disclosed herein are tines that provide superior raking and debris removal by arranging the tines in pairs with two tines integrally connected together by separate springs mounted to the grader. Since the tines are arranged in pairs, the tines may be mounted or removed from the grader quicker and easier as compared to the separate mounting required for the individual tines in the prior graders.
The prior individual tines are mounted to a tine bar which has outwardly projecting and movable pins at the ends of the bar and connected together by a line. The line may be pulled to retract the pins so that the pins may be aligned and released into apertures in the turf grader main frame thereby locking the tine bar and tines in place. The pins may be difficult to simultaneously retract with the line. The grader disclosed herein has a tine bar that may be pivoted to the correct position with a single pin then being moved from outward of the grader frame through an aperture and then into one arm of the tine bar. The same process is then repeated on the opposite side of the tine assembly.
A further improvement relates to the construction of the pulverizing and leveling roller mounted to one end of the grader. In a grader manufactured by Central Tool Company, Inc. of Fortville, Ind., the roller includes a perforated cylindrical wall that extends around a plurality of discs that are spaced along the longitudinal axis of the roller and arranged perpendicularly with respect to the perforated wall. The perforated wall is designed to pulverize clumps of dirt with the dirt extending through the perforations in the roller. Frequently, a large rock or other rigid item may be contacted by the roller resulting in damage to the perforated wall. Disclosed herein is a solid cylindrical wall positioned inwardly of and concentric with an outer mesh screen or perforated wall providing backup to the outer wall and preventing the outer wall from moving inwardly when contacted by an external object. Further, the solid cylindrical inner wall provides a stop surface limiting the flow of dirt into the roller.
The prior turf graders include scraper blades that extend across the width of the grader to contact and level the dirt once the dirt is plowed and the debris is removed. Depending upon the application, it may be desired to disable the scraper blade particularly during transportation thereof. The grader disclosed herein therefore has a scraper blade that may be pivoted to an upward position with a fastener used to secure the scraper blade in the disabled position.